Igloo "IGLØØ2"

Igloo "IGLØØ2" (p)2015 Ernie Producciones

Igloo have done the same trick that Dorian did a month before them: they took a look upon their career with some extracted songs being refaced, rethought and reimagened - and supplemented with one brand new song (the gorgeous "La Reina Ourensana") along with two cover versions - Family's "El Bello Verano" and "Sugar Baby Love" originally by The Rubettes (#1 UK hit single in 1974). With three last tracks as electro remixes ("Todo", "Han Solo" and "Sin Mentiras") the rest of the songs are the quieter, milder and more stripped-down renditions of original versions - I can't say they're acoustic versions, I'd rather say they're 'acousticized' if there'd be the word.
As for Dorian, the songs chosen to appear on this album are not necessarily the best songs of Igloo, and honestly speaking, the 'election algorithm' for me is unclear. But it's not the point because the band managed to achieve something important that probably could not be achieved through the main hits and 'best in career' songs: it feels like Beni Ferreiro and his pals opened the door and let you inside their living room with its warm frendly and soulful atmosphere. Just imagine yourself sitting in some place that is not your home but it feels like home, that's it.

The best tracks: La Reina Ourensana, El Bello Verano, Hada, Han Solo (Rework by David Kano)


ERNIE PRODUCCIONES

Estratega Pencherjevsky "Sentinel"

Estratega Pencherjevsky "Sentinel" (p)2015

Estartega Pencherjevsky is the solo project of Jose J. Martin, one of the components inside the universe of GAF y La Estrella De La Muerte. So what we've got here is the Canarian-bred sci-fi electro rock - the music that derives from old school 70's synth pop experimentators Tangerine Dream ("I Can't Remeber") as well as from the present day Grammy nominees Daft Punk ("Neon Shield"). As eclectic as the 5-song EP can be, "Sentinel" creates and incorporates 8-bit Nintendo sounds on par with Eastern Block cosmic television dramas' soundtracks ("Apocalyptic Rhythm Machine" could work well for some Stanislaw Lem adaptation) to receive the dizzy, foggy and warm soundscapes with the large portion of nostalgia.

The best tracks: The Neon Shield, Sentinel

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Maicalles "DSPRXR"

Maicalles "DSPRXR" (p)2015 self-released

The solo project of Poomse leader Llorenç Rossello delivers the intelligent and slowly evolving kind of lo-fi music that could be represented by the term 'folktronica'. Most of the songs are so suave and quiet that it sounds like they are afraid of breaking the silence and disturbing the homeostasis of the spheres ("Pla B", "Millor", "Civilitzacio", most of others). But sometimes ("Desapareixer", "Sendak") they dare to get more straightforward approach that leads them somewhere into the territories of Lou Barlow's solo work "EMOH".
The album also includes the track named "Bill Callahan" probably intended to showcase one of the main influence for "DSPRXR". As I don't understand Catalan at all I can't tell you if Llorenç addresses directly to Bill in this song or the name of American lo-fi pioneer is just some kind of lyrical allegory.

The best tracks: Desapareixer, Branques Primes, Bill Callahan, Sendak

Maicalles BANDCAMP

Paciente Cero "Viene EP"

Paciente Cero "Viene EP" (p)2015 self-released

My yearlong attraction to Paciente Cero began when I saw the band playing the tiny "Hangar Stage" at Sonorama 2014 with my initial intention to try to catch them for a song or so before Belako main stage set - the intention that had turned completely opposite when I was nailed down to the ground for the full set of Paciente Cero and was able to see Belako onstage only for the final couple of songs.
Their first demo "Dia 1" was a pleasurable set of songs stylistically close to neoprog-influenced alternative rock with Dredg as probably the best reference point. You know those 7-minute long songs with guitars galore and strong pop feel that have enough twists and turns to never appear on pop rock radio stations. Honestly speaking, I've expected "Viene" to be the logical proggression of "Dia 1" ideas - the expectation that has not actually come true.

"Viene" starts with "Llevame" - the track that was also present on demo album. So it is pretty easy to compare two versions of the same song and to make the preliminary conclusion on what was changed in terms of sound. For my ears the new version sounds definitely richer, the production is clean and stark. The vocals of the charismatic frontman Rafa Tunon are shifted to the forefront while the drums are pushed to the background of the final mix. This makes the song to sound relatively lighter as compared to the demo version.
The next track "G&M" sounds like the band invited Mike McCready and Stone Gossard to play in the studio so I can almost hear Eddie Vedder singing the verses.
"Mentiras" is probably the song with the most hit potential here - when Rafa starts to sing the first line of the chorus: "Con las manos vacias..." - my head goes banging spontaneously.
It seems like "Reverso", the track #4, lacks the fresh air around being trapped between two bright and powerful hit songs - the circumstances in which the most complicated track on this EP has no opportunity to blossom.
The final track "Solsticio" starts with Muse-influenced guitar solo (do you remember that one from "Plug In Baby"?) but the evolution of the song has nothing in common with Matt Bellamy-led prog-pop neo-Queen vehicle. This is the second track off "Dia 1" to appear here.

Overall, "Viene" as a whole is a good promise for the future and the good reason to wait for the moment when Paciente Cero are to record their first studio full lenght  - because it would be a killer. The only regret is that two of my favourite songs from "Dia 1" - "Signos Clandestinos" and "Llanto De Acuarela" - weren't chosen to appear on "Viene".

The best tracks: Llevame, Mentiras, Solsticio

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Zahara "Santa"

Zahara "Santa" (p) G.O.Z.Z. Records

The new album of Ubeda native Zahara Gordillo Campos (the musician, the actress, the photo model, and the one of the most beautiful creatures in the world history) is definitely the most diversified one in her back catalogue. If Zahara's previous works more or less followed the female singer/songwriters' classic 'a girl + guitar + small backing band' pattern then "Santa" has a lot of influences in itself that can be extracted and categorized. So I'd say that "Santa" is a plate where "Crash", "Deshielo" and the title track are the upbeat and sparkling rockers paired to pure 80's pop hits "Oh Salvaje" and "Caída Libre" before being mixed in with "Inmaculada Decepcion" and "Donde Habitan Los Monstruos" that are the modern rock songs whose vibe depends more on digital effects and pulsing rhythm than on guitars - and don't forget about acoustic folk pieces "La Gracia" and "El Frio". It's a pure artistic achievent that these seemingly detached elements and details are amalgamated into one solid entity that you can listen to without any feelings of  'there are some parts missing' or 'too much for me' kind.
But what makes this cool album really great is "Bestiario" -  the second disc included into the deluxe edition of "Santa". Consisting of demo tracks as well as the live and acoustic versions, "Bestiario" shows that Zahara's songs are working perfectly even being stripped down to the core and peeled off of any studio production gloss.

The best tracks: Crash, El Deshielo, Santa, Inmaculada Decepcion, Int. Noche, Circulos Concentricos (demo), El Universo (directo)


ZAHARAMANIA, Zahara's official site

Seward "Second Two: Chapter Home"

Seward "Second Two: Chapter Home" (p)2015 Foehn

Enigmatic (no Facebook, no twitter, no other redes sociales) Barcelonian quartet is set to release their third effort. Honestly speaking, I'm not even sure that these four tracks on the Foehn Records' bandcamp page are completing the album in its fullness - two more songs are promised to be presented along with the limited vinyl release of "Second Two: Chapter Home", or I just got it wrong.

This is psycho folk. This is pure 'stream of consciousness' experimental psycho folk alot like the early works of Noah Lennox aka Panda Bear crossed with the sounds of Seward's labelmate Cherry. This music has no borders and frames - strange, uncommon, fractured, overtly theatrical, flowing freely back and forth, leaving you with headache and prescribing the pain reliever in the same time. 

The best track: So To Soon

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Xoel Lopez "Paramales"

Xoel Lopez "Paramales" (p)2015 Esmerarte

The bitter truth about this album is that I don't like it. It's sad to say so about the musician that - unbeknownst to himself - invited me to the world of rock espanol 8 years ago. My soul is crying and my fingers are bleeding over the keypad of my laptop when I type these words here but that's what I really feel like: I don't like "Paramales". I liked "Atlantico", and I can't say that there are lots of changes on the new album being compared to "Atlantico". From the first track "Patagonia" (definitely the best song here) it seems like "Paramales" picks up where "Atlantico" left off. And if the whole album followed the steps of "Patagonia" there would not be any problem. The next song "Yo Solo Queria Que Me Llevaras A Bailar" is also quite pleasurable... and that's the point: the rest of "Paramales" is full of songs that are 'quite pleasurable' at best. That's how I feel it. Maybe I'm not just fine-tuned for it. I appreciate the fact that the album might look great being considered within the context of Spanish roots-folk song tradition (in comparison with any 200 years old song of a seaman leaving his darling so far away it could even be considered 'inventive'), but it's just not the way I'd like Xoel to be considered.

UPDATE: after the multiple auditions the album starts to grow on me. So maybe I will finally fall for it sometimes later.

The best tracks: Patagonia, Yo Solo Queria Que Me Llevaras A Bailar, Caracoles, Almas Del Norte

Axolotes Mexicanos "Holi 3"

Axolotes Mexicanos "Holi <3" (p)2015 Elefant

The debut full lenght of Asturian indie pop trio Axolotes Mexicanos starts with the fast and furious drumming like it is a hardcore/punk act. But as the album goes on the pop sensibilities win over, so the music becomes more aligned to twee pop and - thanks to synths operated by the female vocalist Olaya - to Japanese wing of indie pop music known as 'Shibuya-Key'. Hence it becomes apparent that Elefant Records had no intentions of switching to rough punk scene while releasing this album, and the bands that create such pure pop tracks as "El Basurero" and "Villalpando" and breezy melodies as "Te Miro Mientras Duermes" and "Interestelar" are still its focus of attention. Anyway, the punk roots aren't abandoned completely, and the album comes to end on the same rails where it started with "Hay Una China Que Vive En Mi Piso" which is the short fast and minimalist punk chant. So, for those of you who are into Shonen Knife or Los Fresones Rebeldes this album would be a good fit.

The best tracks: Te Miro Mientras Duermes, Interestelar, El Basurero